a little Christmas cheer at work

the 14-feet-tall tree at work that my co-workers and I decorated :)

[and you know I've already replaced the regular Muzak CD with the holiday one]

THE REAL DEAL!

We happened to be in the neighborhood and mapping out new ways to work, so we drove by our house last night.  I absolutely HAD to stop when I saw this had gone up!

(I know there was some confusion about my last sale pending picture, so let me assure you, this one is most definitely planted in our soon-to-be front yard!)

Happy Thanksgiving 2012

So much to be thankful for this year, and every day.

Here are some of my traditional favorites:

-watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade

-and consequently the dog show that's always on afterwards

-eating turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, rolls, squash

-spending the day with family

And a few new ones this year:

-spending most of the day at home getting long-neglected things done around the apartment

-waking hubby up with chocolate chip pancakes

-receiving a picture text from my brother of the Kermit balloon live from the parade
-enjoying the evening with 42 family members from the Leathersich clan

(side note: I'm still slightly upset at myself for not trying the deep fried turkey option)

The night ended perfectly when as I was getting ready for bed my husband asked from the living room if I could stay up for another half an hour to cuddle on the couch and...he paused until I came in and said, "We haven't watched this yet," and pulled out Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving.  If anyone knows him and knows me, this was huge!  I LOVE, or perhaps am obsessed, with watching holiday movies and he is a little, or a lot, less enthused.  So thank you Col!

Friday to Sunday we got to spend at my parents' where we ate even more, had another T-day dinner on Saturday, played tons of games, watched movies, and enjoyed the first full snowfall.

And true to form, I carried my camera around with me all day and all weekend and didn't take a.single.picture.  I really have to get better at this.

apartment vs. house addendum

reason #1 why I'm glad we found a house : driveway parking

my car was brutally side-swiped this morning between when Col left for work at 7a and when I left at 8a.  not only did I look out the window to find that my driver's side mirror was helplessly lying in the street feet from the car, but the entire side of the car is scraped up.  I will have to have all three panels of the car fixed.

[let's just say I was not a very happy girl this morning...or now for that matter]

however, in the spirit of Thanksgiving:
-I'm thankful for a very nice police officer who came to my work and wrote up the report
   (especially thankful he didn't remind me that I shouldn't be driving without a mirror)
-I'm thankful for a super awesome and helpful insurance agent
-I'm thankful for the very kind lady at the collision place
-I'm thankful for my hubby for taking it to get an estimate this afternoon
-I'm thankful for my parents and friends who have been sympathetic and offering help
-I'm thankful that I forgot we switched insurance companies this past year and that my deductible is half of what it used to be

2 more months people, then it's G.O.O.D.B.Y.E. to on-street parking nightmares!
            
[including the every night alternate parking hassles and
             the five parking tickets that we've received since living here]

The Owl House

Thanks to a gift card from my W&B friends given to me when I left, Col and I finally got to go try out a new place near us, The Owl House.  They specialize in fresh, local, and also vegan/vegetarian food, and it was sooooo good!  It was in a small house-setting with low-light which made for a great date atmosphere too.

We started with their Cigarillos which were fried and filled with buffalo spiced chicken and cheddar cheese, then served with bleu cheese.  Delish!  I had the Matty's Moustache sandwich (pictured below) for my entree and that was too good not to take a picture.  Brie, apple, pear, arugula, and dijon on grilled sourdough.  Yum. 

WOOT WOOT!

When Col texted me that our house listing online finally said this, it was all I could do not to shout out at work.  I am soo excited!!  Almost there!

steps toward home-ownership: part V

I'm excited to announce that Col and I have bought our first house!

The process has seemed long, though I know relatively speaking it hasn't been.  When you add in the 10 months of our First Time Home Club, we've been on this journey in some form or another since December 2011 and will conclude in January 2013.  However, let's be honest, there are getting to be too many posts about this, and I don't want to have to look up any higher Roman numerals ;)

It went like this:

• A couple weeks ago I saw a beautiful house online that was just listed.  I sent it to Col and we contacted our new realtor to get an appointment to see it ASAP.
• Two days later, Thursday evening 11/1, we were able to see the house and meet our new realtor.  Before we had even gone all the way through it, I looked over at Col and knew this was the one!  He looked deliriously happy.  We had been waiting for our "wow" house, and this was it!
• Friday 11/2 we met with our realtor and signed all the paperwork to make our offer.
• Saturday 11/3, we still hadn't heard anything and our 24 hour deadline had passed.  Word from our realtor was that the seller's realtor couldn't get a hold of the seller.  We graciously extended the offer until later that evening since she supposedly didn't know anything about it yet.
• Saturday evening they counter offer, naturally, but barely lower the price.
• I have an emotional breakdown.  Apologies, but they do happen sometimes.  I was exhausted from the process, stressed about finances, and thinking way too much about all our other plans in life and how they would be affected if we did or didn't get this house.  I was forgetting that I had already crunched and re-crunched the numbers and that we were still being smart and good stewards.
• After lots of prayer and support from dear hubby who puts up with anal, over-thinking, over-practical me, and family and friends, we unanimously decide to accept the offer because we don't want this one getting away!
• Sunday morning 11/4 after church we met in a parking lot and signed the acceptance.  It goes into the realtor/seller an hour before their open house.
• Col and I attended the open house and nervously watched as lots of people go through.  We were also very frustrated with some other issues during the whole ordeal, however, we'll keep those out of cyberspace for now because I do not want to jeopardize this in any way!
• Monday 11/5 the attorneys received the offer paperwork and it's a go!
• Wednesday 11/7 we went to the bank and officially applied for our mortgage.
• Thursday 11/8 our inspection was done.
• Saturday 11/10 we met with our realtor to submit what needs to be done before we close.

Once we found this house, it was ours in about a week!  Now we wait for the bank/attorneys to do their part.  Closing is set for early January!  Hooray!

happy, warm, good happenings

Phew!  We've been "bu-sy, bu-sy, bu-sy" (name that movie!!) with house stuff.  Update on that to come very soon :)

In the meantime, how awesome was today?

• 70 degree temps.  Yes, on November 11th!
• volunteering in the bookstore at church
• watching my niece hold the church doors open for everyone who went through
• shopping with my mother- and sister-in-laws and treating myself to my first pair of leggings
• walk to a neighbor's moving sale: we scored a Land's End jacket and brand new deck of Phase 10 for $1.25
• sitting on our porch drinking smoothies
• Yolickity's ice cream
• the Amazing Race

Other good things sprinkled in over the last two weeks:

• dinner and Gilmores with roomie
• movies 10 and lunch with friends
• watching Col play volleyball again at a friend's birthday party
• worship and celebrating with friends becoming members at church
• late night McFlurry's with friends
• lunch at Red Robin (yum!) with Esh's
• work girls' night

So who else is hoping for a winter full of 60-70 degree days?! :)